Chapter 26
Aspen
C ars honking as they whip past us are the only sound playing in the background as Nikolai drives us home. Neither of us utters a word, we just sit in silence, daring the other to fold.
It won’t be me though, that’s for damn sure.
Turning into the garage, rage hides behind the way his knuckles clench the steering wheel. When he parks, he gets out to open my door to let me out.
At least in anger, he’s chivalrous.
Nikolai ushers us to the private elevators, his steps slow and unhurried. The doors slide open and he guides me in with his hand on my lower back, positioning me in the center as he punches the code in for our floor.
When was the last time it had ever been this quiet between us? I prefer the first time we met, when he used his shadows to restrain me than whatever this is. At least then we didn’t have any feelings towards one another, just animosity.
If he calls this his version of being pissed, well guess what? I’m pissier! He’s the one that made me look like a fool and then has the audacity to call himself my husband as if it’s a trump card.
We’re only roommates, who happen to get along from time to time.
Roommates who melt into each other’s flesh whenever their lips link .
I force the thought away with a violent shrug.
Our floor chimes, the elevator door opens, and he barrels us through the living room. My hair products are still scattered across the floor where I sat and did my hair before Sergei decided my calmly planned night needed to be ruined.
“Why the fuck were you on the stage tonight, Aspen?” His voice is deceptively low.
Scoffing, I move away from him. “Your DJ spotted me and asked if I could sing a few songs since some artists cancelled at the last minute.”
Deciding that he doesn’t get to be the one angry here, I walk in front of him, leaving barely a foot distance between us.
“Why did you allow Quinn to have her hands all over you when you’re a married man, Nikolai? What, are you fucking her behind my back?”
“Fucking her?” his eyebrows knit together in disgust. “I haven’t touched her since—”
“So.” I clap my hands together. “Two people standing chest to chest. Faces so close, not even a sheet of paper could pass through between them, aren’t still fucking?
Don’t insult me Nikolai!” My voice shakes the room.
“If you want, Nikolai, by all means be with her and go fuck her tonight. I’m not stopping you.
” I point my index finger to his hard chest. “But listen to me closely. This marriage may be a sham but one thing I won’t allow is disrespect. ”
His hands are around my throat again for the second time tonight. Firm yet gentle, but commanding all the same.
“The only woman I will fuck tonight, or any other night, is my wife and if you forgot who that is, it’s you.
” He growls and I feel its weight crash over me, settling in my core.
“Why would I want anyone else, when I have you? Hm? What do I have to do to prove you’re the only woman I see? The only woman I want. No one else.”
His chest heaves up and down, mirroring my own.
“I don’t share, Niko.”
“That’ll never happen.” He assures me, wrapping an arm around my waist, pulling me closer until our bodies are flush together. “Ever.” He plants a gentle kiss on my lips, shaking my resolve even more.
“I’m scared.” I admit in a whisper. “Of us. Of you. I’ve never done any of this before.”
“Never be scared of me. I’ll never hurt you. Not intentionally. I’ll mess up from time to time. When I do, just forgive me.” He swipes his nose against mine, before kissing me there. “I’ll do better. I’ll be better for you.”
“What if I hurt you?” I ask, closing my eyes, knowing how this will quickly come to an end in one month, when my family comes to get me.
One day he will look up and I’ll be gone. There will be no mornings of him finding me in his arms. No one to make coffee for or cook for. Again.
“I’ll forgive you as long as you keep choosing me in the end.”
His words are measured with a deliberate calm, they sink into my skin, my heart and soul. A lone tear slips from my eye, and he kisses it with such tenderness that my entire being quakes.
Would it be wrong to stay to finish building this little world we created for just us? Can I finally have something that only belongs to me, that hasn’t been curated by the Syndicate, by my family?
If this will be my only shot of happiness before I die, I’ll spend it in his embrace. In his warmth, his protection. I choose to have all of him before I leave everything behind.
Starting now.
“Promise you won’t break my heart, Niko.”
“No need. You’ll break mine first.”
I capture his lips with mine, when he slightly opens his mouth, I deepen our kiss. He moans as my hand grips his hair, pouring my need for him, my thirst for him into this kiss. He lifts me up, my legs instinctively wrap around him, locking at the ankles.
Niko guides us through the hall to our bedroom, brisk and efficient. I’m still attached to him, refusing to break our kiss, when he places me on the bed. He has other plans though. He pulls away from me, his eyes black, the silver in them completely gone, heavy with desire.
“Malyshka?”
He’ll only go as far as I’m willing.
These past few months, we never went as far as first base and right now, I’m propelling us straight to home base.
I’m ready for this. I’m ready for more.
“Please, Niko.” My voice is husky with need and want and my core is on fire.
His shadows remove my boot heels, and they take off my outfit one piece at a time, achingly slow. He’s unwrapping me like I’m a Christmas present.
“Because you are my present, Malyshka.”
“How did you—”
“Your mouth may not be honest with me, but your body always tells me the truth. ”
“Confident, are we?”
“Only with you.”
Once his shadows strip me bare, his eyes assess every inch of me. Niko looks at me with adoration and lust. My face heats. I’ve never let a man see me like this before, raw and unfiltered.
When I move my hand to cover my breast and pussy, Niko’s eyes land on mine, shaking his head. “Don’t hide what’s mine. Show me everything and let me worship you.”
He bends down, kissing me behind my ears, moving down to the soft part of my neck. His hand slides down my thighs until his palm is against my pussy. I close my eyes, arching into his touch, silently begging for more.
“Eyes on me. Let me watch you while you witness me opening your body up for me.” He slides a finger in and we groan together. “Fuck, you’re already this wet? You’ve been wet all night?”
I hum my agreement.
“I need to loosen you up if you’re going to take me, Malyshka.”
His mouth trails down to my breast, he takes one of my nipples into his mouth and I gasp.
“That’s it, take another finger. You’re doing so fucking good for me.”
When he places another finger inside me, my breath hitches and I instantly feel full.
I moan.“Niko.”
His shadows start peeling his clothes off him until he is as bare as I am. My eyes drop to his rock hard length. He’s large, thick and freakishly impressive. His crown weeps with precum and a promise of pain mixed with pleasure .
“Does the sight of me turn you on this much?”
Biting my lower lip, I nod.
“Wait until you feel what you do to me.”
His words are playful, he’s enjoying seeing me like this. He enjoys how my body responds to his fingers, how my body responds to him.
“You’re clenching me so tight. Come for me.”
When he adds a third finger, I do exactly that. My toes curl, my back arch and my body explode.
“Fuck baby. Three fingers and you’re still gripping me like a fucking vise. When I fuck you, you’ll feel me for weeks.”
He lines his dick to my entrance. “Niko— you’re… I don’t know if—”
His dark chuckle cuts me off. “You can and you will. Your sweet pussy will devour every inch, Malyshka. I’ll make sure of it. Now, breathe.”
That’s the only warning he gives me before he thrusts his thick length into me. I wail his name, he stills immediately.
“F-FUCK. Aspen, why didn’t you—” His voice is laced with confusion and a hint of shock. He cradles my face, I wrap my arms around his neck pulling him closer to me. “You gave me your first?” There’s possessive satisfaction to his voice.
Heat floods my core once more as he kisses the center of my forehead, trying to remove the wrinkles there.
“I’m your first. Your only, Aspen. Don’t fucking forget it. Loosen your hold, I need to fix this. Ok?”
I nod slowly, wincing at the burn as he slowly, gently, slides himself out of me .
He moves down until his head is between my thighs. “It seems I didn’t show appreciation towards the gift you gave me. I’ll rectify that now.”
His tongue trails from my entrance to my clit. The pain I experienced just moments ago is replaced with pure ecstasy.
He groans against my clit and I shudder. “I can taste us together.” Lick. “Your blood, your cum, all of it.” Lick and suck. “Come on my face. Drown me in sweet oblivion.”
“Niko,” I pant trying to grasp the breath he keeps stealing from me. When he dips his tongue inside, the discomfort and ache is no longer there. “Please, please, oh god please Niko,” I beg. For what, I’m not sure, I just know I need him.
He flattens his tongue against my clit and I burst into flames. My body feels hotter than it was the first time I came tonight.
Niko lines himself at my entrance. “Let’s try this again. I’ll be gentle.”
He drives into me achingly slow, my core pulses and contracts.
I grab onto his forearms to ground myself, to center myself.
As soon as he’s fully seated, I take in my real first full breath.
He’s so deep, it feels like our souls are connected.
As if we are one, I am him and he is me, we are each other.
The smell of blood and arousal is thick between us.
“You’re strangling my dick, baby. Relax or this will be over before it can begin.”
My body burns deliciously as his dick stretches me to accommodate him as he slides out and drills right back in.
My nails dig into his arms, hard enough I’m sure they’ll leave marks behind, only for them to heal and disappear later.
The sounds our bodies makes as he slaps us together is wet, obscene and pure music to my ears .
“You hear that? Your body is fucking singing to me, Malyshka. And I’m your biggest fucking fan baby.”
He pulls out just to slam back in, forcing my head to snap back, pulling a scream from my lips, shaking every cell in my body.
“That’s three. You’re going to give me two more before we’re done.” He pounds into me faster and intensely, dragging my orgasm out. “Say you’re mine while I’m this deep inside you.”
It is too intense, I try to turn away. He doesn’t allow me to run away. He grips my hips, roughly, locking me in place.
“Say it. Say you’re fucking mine. Tell me who you belong to. Say my fucking name, Aspen.”
“Niko.” I scream. “I’m yours, all yours.” I chant profusely.
He slides his arms under mine and holds me firm in a bear hug. His mouth is everywhere, kissing, sucking on me, devouring me, leaving his marks along the way. He’s everywhere and I’m deliriously aware of his presence burrowing deep in my soul.
“Niko, please I can’t” I beg, my mind melting, becoming delirious, drunk and high on him.
“Take it all. Take everything I fucking give you. You’re mine, sealed and fucking claimed.” His deep rough thrust propels me into another crest. His fingers find my clit. “One more, give me one more baby.”
I cry his name as a long prayer.
He bites down on my shoulder, his rhythm becomes frantic.
“Fuck yes baby, soak me. Fucking drench me. I’m going to mark you from the inside out. You will never forget who you belong to, Aspen.”
My name breaks on his tongue as he groans his release, his dick pulsing, his warm cum filling me up to the brim .
We lie here, in each other’s juices, basking in each other’s breath. Neither one of us is in a hurry to move.
Once my body stops shaking, I stroke his back with one hand, massaging his scalp with the other. He places long kisses on my shoulder and trails his kisses up until they reach my lips.
Still inside me, semi hard, he places his forehead on mine. “Are you ok?” His eyes are back silver as he searches mine.
“More than ok. I’m a bit sore, if I’m being honest, but I feel good too.” I chuckle, twirling one of his platinum strands with my finger.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were a virgin on our wedding night?” He implores.
“We were strangers then,” I say, running my fingers across his jaw. “Besides, our marriage wasn’t real then.”
His gaze is tender but possessive. “And it is now?”
“I hope so,” I answer honestly.
“Know so,” he says firmly. “Mine. You’re mine.”
“I’m yours.” I confess to him and to myself.
“Now and forever. There’s no escaping this, Aspen. Ever. If you dare try to run away, I will turn this entire world dark to find you.”
I hear his words for what they are. A threat and a promise etched on the same coin. I know he has no qualms about following through. Everything he touches turns into shadows. No doubt he will darken the sky just to find me.
The ugly truth is, I want him to.
“Forever, Niko.”
“Are you understanding what I’m saying, Aspen? I'm telling you I love you. ”
“Niko, I lo—”
“Don’t say it if you don’t mean it right now.” He closes his eyes, with our nose touching. He breathes me in as if committing my scent to memory. “Just keep your promise of forever, Malyshka.”
“I promise.” I kiss him gently.
“What an interesting find.” A smirk plays on his lips.
I lean back slightly. “What?”
“One. You’re being compliant. Two. You’re a squirter, Malyshka.”
My eyes widen and my cheeks heat with embarrassment. I never knew so much liquid could spill from me when I’m so aroused. I blame him. It’s his fault for turning my body into his personal whore. For forcing my body to enjoy what he wrung out of me.
Nikolai thickens inside and I moan at the stretch.
“Again. I need you again. This isn’t enough. It won’t ever be enough. I want every surface in this house bathed and blessed by you.”
He may just kill me tonight. But at least when I fall on his sword, it’ll be pleasurable.